Study Desk

She will go after her lovers but will not catch up with them. She will look for them but will not find them. Then she will say, ‘I will return to my first husband. For it was better for me then than now.'

They will eat, but not have enough. They will do sex sins, but the number of their children will not grow because they have not been faithful to the Lord.

Those who will not obey have gone deep into sin, but I will punish all of them.

They will go with their flocks and cattle to look for the Lord, but they will not find Him. He has gone away from them.

When Ephraim saw his sickness and Judah saw his sore, then Ephraim went to Assyria and sent to King Jareb for help. But he is not able to cure you, or heal your sore.

"Come, let us return to the Lord. He has hurt us but He will heal us. He has cut us but He will cover the sore.

But like Adam they have sinned against the agreement. They were not faithful to Me there.

It is bad for them, for they have turned away from Me! They will be destroyed, for they would not obey Me! I would save them and make them free, but they speak lies against Me.

They do not cry out to Me from their heart when they cry on their beds. They come together for grain and new wine, but turn away from Me.

They have set up kings, but not by Me. They have chosen leaders, but I did not know it. They have made false gods for themselves out of silver and gold, so they will be destroyed.

I wrote 10,000 of My Laws for him, but they think of them as something strange.

They give gifts to Me and eat the meat of the gifts, but the Lord is not pleased with them. Now He will remember their wrong-doing and punish them for their sins. They will return to Egypt.

Israel has forgotten his Maker and built great houses. And Judah has built many strong cities ready for battle. But I will send a fire upon its cities that will destroy its beautiful houses."

They will not stay in the Lord's land, but Ephraim will return to Egypt. And in Assyria they will eat unclean food.

"I found Israel like grapes in the desert. I saw your fathers like the first-fruit on the fig tree in its first year. But they came to Baal-peor and gave themselves to that false god of shame. They became as sinful as the thing they loved.

I have seen Ephraim planted in a good field like Tyre. But Ephraim will lead his children out to be killed."

"Ephraim is a well-taught young cow that loves to crush the grain. But I will put a load on her beautiful neck. I will drive Ephraim. Judah must plow. And Jacob must break up the ground.

Yet it was I who taught Ephraim to walk. I took them in My arms. But they did not know that I healed them.

But Ephraim has made the Lord very angry. So the Lord will leave on him the guilt of his blood, and make his shame return to him.

When Ephraim spoke, men shook in fear. He was honored in Israel. But he sinned by worshiping Baal, and died.